College ROI

Smarter Choices, Brighter Futures
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Generations College

Chicago, IL 310 Undergrads 27.1% Grad Rate
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Total Cost
$25,660
Sticker Price
Avg Net Price
$18,894
After Aid
Median Earnings
$46,202
4yr Post-Grad

Vs. Peer Institutions

Net Price$18,894
Peer Midpoint: $9,847
Earnings (4yr Post-Grad)$46,202
Peer Midpoint: $50,127.5
Graduation Rate27.1%
Peer Midpoint: 34.6%
Socio-Economic Diversity
Pell Grant Recipients74.0%
Enrollment Status
Full-Time90.3%
Economic Outcomes
Earn More than HS51.7%

Admissions Profile

Acceptance
100.0%
SAT Avg
-
SAT Reading
25th: --75th: -
SAT Math
25th: --75th: -
ACT Composite
25th: --75th: -

ROI Sensitivity Analysis

This analysis tests three cost scenarios (Scholarship, Average Net Price, Full Sticker Price) to show how college costs impact your long-term return compared to the average student and a high school graduate.

Lifetime Value Added (NPV)

Institution Lifetime NPV
Vs Median Peer
Vs HS Grad
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
+$495k
-$21k
+$10k
Median Cost$19k/yr
+$460k
-$55k
-$24k
Full Cost$26k/yr
+$448k
-$68k
-$37k

ROI Efficiency Metrics

Break-Even Age
Return on Inv. %
Zero Cost (Scholarship)$0
45
Median Cost$19k/yr
Never
-70%
Full Cost$26k/yr
Never
-78%
Analysis Assumptions:
  • Starting Salary: Estimated from the 4-year post-graduation median earnings (assuming 2% annual growth from graduation).
  • Comparisons: "Vs Median Peer" compares to the median student nationwide in a similar level program. "Vs HS Grad" compares to a median high school graduate.
  • Break-Even: The age at which the college investment net income exceeds the median high school graduate's lifetime earnings.
  • NPV: Net Present Value of all future earnings minus costs and taxes, discounted at 7.8%.

Social Impact ROINew

Measures the societal return on a donor's investment. Calculated as the incremental pre-tax lifetime earnings vs. HS grad, divided by the tax-adjusted donation cost.

Donor Return-40%

Gov. Pell Grant ROINew

Measures the government's return on Pell Grants via increased tax revenue. Calculated as the portion of incremental lifetime taxes (discounted at 5.4%) attributed to the Pell Grant investment.

Taxpayer Return-63%
Important Note: Your ROI with any major will depend on the cost you pay to attend the program, and your starting salary. Both vary significantly across institutions. We encourage you to explore the ROI of a specific program variant by selecting the Program title of the credential level you are interested in. You will then have a more detailed return analysis for programs at specific institutions. We also encourage you to use the ROI calculator with your specific estimates of cost and salary.

Program ROI Analysis

Associate's Degrees

Business Administration, Management and Operations
AssocCIP: 5202
Median Debt
$30,000
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $48,733
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Criminal Justice and Corrections
AssocCIP: 4301
Median Debt
$20,000
Earnings (4yr)
$40,226
Natl Median: $46,706
Lifetime Value Added
-$84k
Entrepreneurial and Small Business Operations
AssocCIP: 5207
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $40,095
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Health and Medical Administrative Services
AssocCIP: 5107
Median Debt
-
Earnings (4yr)
-
Natl Median: $37,073
Lifetime Value Added
N/A
Legal Support Services
AssocCIP: 2203
Median Debt
$23,730
Earnings (4yr)
$48,423
Natl Median: $44,669
Lifetime Value Added
-$2k

Note: Lifetime Value Added is the Net Present Value (NPV) of estimated career earnings relative to a median high school graduate (for undergraduate programs) or a median bachelor's degree holder (for graduate programs), accounting for this institution's average cost and taxes. Computed over a career to retirement age.

For graduate programs (Master's, Doctoral, etc.), the calculation assumes a starting age of 22 (after undergraduate completion) and does not include the sunk costs of prior degrees. It represents the value added of the graduate degree decision moving forward. These Lifetime Value Added results for graduate degrees should not be compared with those for Undergraduate Certificates, Associates or Bachelors.